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Chapter 3 (War of Discoveries): Schism
Short Summary Long Summary Everyone’s eyes are drawn to Sojiro and Shogo. The older Watcher sees nine enemies, and realizes that there’s a hidden tenth man stopping the train from moving. While the Cultists discuss what to do, Ruby recognizes Sojiro. After reassuring her that everything will be okay, Sojiro asks Shogo to clear the area. The younger Watcher does so with gusto, much to Deacon Fuma’s disbelief. With a “Blazing Holy Meteor of DOOM”, Shogo goes faster than anything the Hunters can follow, either directly pushing or indirectly forcing the Cultists back. The Black Knight, Hinatsu, and the snake-man are hit right in the face. Kamakiri sprouts blades in defense, but Shogo zooms to Hayate instead, freeing Ruby and the Relic. Sanga’s attempted strike is cut off by a blow to the stomach. Gendo tries to shield himself, but Shogo simply jumps past it, quickly striking the Cultist in the back of the neck. The Ice-User hisses in rage and disbelief as he forms a Freezing Transmutation: Death Wall. Shogo just elbows through, ignoring the spikes in his body as he smashes the ice-user down. With that, 5 Acolytes are already beaten. Deacon Fuma, in shock, demands to know who they are. Sojiro reveals his Watcher heritage, throwing in that he doesn’t advocate genocide for a ‘mad devil’. When Fuma rages at that, Sojiro proclaims that a genocidal despot is no god of his. Shogo then goes off on a tangent for the Cultists to beware his power, calling himself a hero without equal, and a steward of everything good. Seeing this, Yang doesn’t know whether to be grateful or embarrassed that he saved them, with Blake suggesting not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Weiss is simply shocked at how much faster Shogo was compared to Ruby. Even Ozpin had trouble following such speed. Oscar admits that Ozpin was right about there being something different about Shogo. Ozpin sighs at the obvious statement, simply taking comfort in that he’s on their side. Sojiro simply sighs at Shogo, and rerails the conversation by claiming he has no intention of letting the Cult’s ‘messiah’ get as close to victory as last time. Fuma realizes that he’s dealing with a very old Watcher, asking who he is. Sojiro introduces himself as Menou’s Grandmaster, having trained millions over the years. While Ruby is simply confused at all the foreign names, Fuma is furious at the Grandmaster becoming a Traveler, but it won’t stop them from taking the Relic. Sojiro simply cracks his neck, willing to defend the Relic since he sees children willing to risk their lives to protect it. Ruby yells in worry at this apparent old man taking them all on at once. Curious, he asks her name. Ruby Rose properly introduces herself, and Sojiro assures her that everything will be okay. Fuma orders Hayate, Black Knight, and Kamakiri to kill Sojiro, while he’ll deal with the others. Sojiro smirks and taunts that he’s being underestimated, with Fuma ranting that he’s an old man with one foot in the grave. When Sojiro shrugs that it’s true, Fuma still should’ve brought more men. With that, Sojiro reveals his art of Reinforcement (the power to increase all physical attributes at will). Hayate exclaims at the man’s Reiki level doubling, realizing it’s now higher than everyone else’s. Fuma simply says they’ll complete the mission no matter what, earning a taunt from Sojiro about sending everyone else at him. Deciding he’ll simply force the leader to fight him, Sojiro zooms forward. Kamakiri’s attempt to defend himself with Urchin Armor fails as Sojiro manages to hit his temple, the only spot without blades. Sojiro muses that it simply took skilled precision and aim to beat him. The Black Knight charges, but Sojiro sidesteps and punches him in the back. Hayate tries to take advantage with a sneak attack, but Sojiro catches him without looking. Claiming that the assassin missed his one chance, Sojiro punches him in the face hard enough to crash him into the mountain. Ruby is simply amazed that Sojiro was actually fast enough to do that. Fuma is incredulous at the Grandmaster still being so powerful. Sojiro laughs that in his prime, a mere shockwave from his punch could’ve beaten them. Desperate, Fuma calls the Black Knight, who roars in a rage. While Sojiro catches the beast, Fuma gloats about its Art being an enhanced healing factor. Yang notes how ‘unfair’ that is, comparing it to her own Semblance’s inferior version. Elsewhere, Jaune finishes up healing Nora, and starts on Qrow. While Ruby is concerned, Sojiro assures that it’s nothing he can’t handle. While grappling, he asks why someone so strong isn’t in charge, considering the Watchers’ habit of following strength. Fuma argues that the Black Knight has no sense. Sojiro wonders how the Cult found such a being, having been under the impression that they lost their strongest fighters after the last war. Ignoring that, Fuma shouts for the creature to give Sojiro a painful death. Sojiro compliments the Black Knight’s strength as it tries to push him, but claims his own grandson is far stronger. He sighs that he really has gotten old if a single Reinforcement can’t do the job. Going to Reinforcement Times 3, Sojiro sends the Black Knight off balance, and defeats him with a Starlight Breaker. Sojiro notes that he simply needed to strike with such force that there wasn’t enough for it to put itself together again. The magnet-user is stunned, before muttering about sensing Fuma’s rage sending his Reiki haywire. The Reiki forces everyone that isn’t a Watcher to their knees. Fuma rants about everyone taking his recognition and promotion away, vowing to destroy them all. Sojiro notices blood from his mouth, due to how long it’s been since he went beyond normal Reinforcement, before growling at how ‘par for the course’ his enemies going off the deep end is. The Magnet user realizes that the Deacon will tear his own body apart and kill everyone, so he’ll be able to take credit. Ruby pleads for the Cultist to stop for the sake of the bystanders, who Noriko and Shuya are trying to keep under control. All the while, an old lady with mechanical eyes exits the car. As Sojiro weighs his options, Ruby shouts that there’s no need to involve everyone else, no matter how bad they want the relic. Fuma just yells for everyone to die, preparing a Sweeping Tornado. While that’s going on, the power starts lacerating the Cultist’s own body. A wince in pain is just the opening Ruby needs to zoom forward and slash Fuma across the chest, yelling for him to leave the people alone. Everyone is in shock that she managed to do that with such power in the air. When the winds die down, Sojiro punches Fuma straight into the ground with a Starlight Breaker. When he comes back, he smiles at Ruby’s extraordinary strength of will, briefly seeing Kyoko and Chitsujo in her place. He compliments her for a job well done, admitting how surprised he was, earning a smile and thumbs up. The group realizes the train isn’t moving, so they start planning to take them out and get the train moving again. Ruby dashes that, revealing that the Grimm are attracted to the relic, so that course of action would just put everyone in danger. Blake is confused at Ruby believing the enemy, but Sojiro admits that this isn’t something that should be risked, regardless of whether the enemy told the truth. While Weiss and Ruby see his point, Yang frowns and curses that someone who doesn’t know a damn thing about what’s going on telling her how to do things. When Blake tries to say they should be grateful, Yang points out that trust is at a low, wanting a reason to trust his opinion. When Sojiro doesn’t give that, he simply asks if they think it wise to put civilians at an unnecessary risk. With that, Ruby tells Yang to get Bumblebee out so the train can go on without them. Meanwhile, Shogo is sent to find the brakes, with Blake volunteering to help. Sojiro asks if she doesn’t trust them, but she simply replies that she has lots of questions, partially because they don’t act like they’re from around there. When Sojiro confirms that, Blake says she’ll find out everything she needs to know through observation. Once she vanishes to follow Shogo, Sojiro sighs at the apparent ‘unhealthy’ amount of suspicion. While Yang rolls her eyes at that, Ruby simply says that she trusts Sojiro. With the course decided, Sojiro uses Vanishing Walk to head to the last Cultist. At the conductor’s car, Shogo laments the dead driver, before exclaiming that he doesn’t know what brakes look like. When Blake comments that he’s clearly from not around, he exuberantly greets the ‘Cat Ninja of the Night’. Once they both pay respects to the dead, Shogo says she just had to say so if she wanted to follow him. After she flips the brake, Blake admits that in her line of work, you don’t freely give people trust. She points out that the two showed up out of nowhere, had far greater skill and strength than the vast majority of people they know, and act like they’re not even from Remnant. Shogo assures her that she’ll learn everything if Sojiro wishes it, hoping that’ll make things more believable. Blake admits that she does want to be able to trust him. Shogo starts to shout about the brakes, informing the confused Oscar that they must go on foot now. Jaune, Nora, Ren, and Qrow all show similar confusion. Ruby says it’s for the best, adding that Ozpin needs to talk when they’re in the clear. Shogo goes to inform Noriko and Shuya of the change. Elsewhere, Sojiro catches up with the magnet-user. Finally, three Cult higher-ups dressed as clergy stumble upon the defeated Black Knight, wondering just what happened. Sojiro gives a brief prayer over the corpses of all the Cultists, having finished them off out of sight of the children. Knowing interrogation would just lead to attempted suicide, he killed them in her sleep. When he gets back, Yang is yelling at the situation, ranting on Maria Calavera’s unwelcome hitchhiking. Sojiro, bemused, simply asks why she followed them. Shuya admits by the time they realized she was here, the train was gone. Qrow chides Yang for losing her cool, knowing it’d draw in Grimm. When Sojiro agrees, Yang roars for the ‘old man’ not to act familiar with her. When Ruby tries to counter, Blake asks if it even matters since they were attracting Grimm since Haven. When Yang sarcastically asks about ‘no more lies’, Sojiro wonders if he’s missing something. When Oscar says it’s time for an explanation, Ozpin comes out, claiming he didn’t lie. After Sojiro briefly muses about how fascinating a soul inhabiting another body in a symbiotic relationship is, Weiss gets them back on track by pointing out the ‘lie by omission’. Ozpin says that making them all aware would’ve only added anxiety and negativity, so not saying anything seemed safer at the time. While Sojiro can see the logic, everyone else is getting real upset. Eventually, the conversation turns towards Ozpin’s cover-up of Lionheart’s final betrayal. Yang’s escalating accusations push Ozpin to reveal that he’s heard people promise over and over that they wouldn’t turn their backs on him, so he has reasons for the things he does, the secrets he keeps. Unsympathetic, Jaune asks if Ozpin didn’t trust Pyrrha, screaming at him for ‘manipulating’ her. Sojiro claps his hands to get everyone’s attention, urging everyone to calm down, saying anger and rage isn’t helping anyone’s case. He tells Ozpin to take a deep breath. While he understands everyone’s frustration, he asks them to try and understand Ozpin’s feelings, saying baseless accusations will get them nowhere. Yang simply yells that Sojiro knows nothing about what they’ve been through. Sojiro concedes, but adds that he’s had plenty of experiences to at least empathize. They’re interrupted by Ozpin telling Ruby to hand over the Relic, prompting her to ask if faith in humanity was something for other people. As the questions mount, Oscar fights back for control, saying Ozpin is trying to stop them from finding out what he’s hiding. With the call of her name, Jinn comes forth as time is stopped. The Being of Knowledge relishes being free, earning looks of awe from everyone. She explains that she’s a creation of the God of Light to aid humanity in the pursuit of knowledge, but she’s puzzled when she doesn’t recognize the Watchers as human, noticing a weak trace of divinity on them. Back on track, Jinn reveals that with her ability to answer any three questions per century, she can still answer two. When Ozpin yells about that being enough, the rest point out that he said the relic wouldn’t work. Jinn merely chuckles at seeing the ‘old man’ again. When Qrow starts to speak up, all the kids point their weapons at him, so he simply tells his niece to do what she thinks is right. Sojiro tells everyone to stand down, saying this issue can be solved without turning on each other. Before anyone can stop him, Jaune asks Jinn what Ozpin is hiding from them. As Ozpin charges forward, the world goes white, and the whole group gets shown the tale of Ozma and Salem. Sojiro pleads with the images of Salem not to go down her dark path in the name of reviving her love. He laments the Gods of Light and Darkness’ folly in making her immortal for ‘transgressions’. The Watchers watch as the first Human Race is utterly obliterated, and Salem’s subsequent attempted suicide turning her into a creature of pure hatred. Then, it turns to Ozpin’s view when he was first granted his task of uniting humanity, giving him a ‘reincarnation-based’ immortality. But then, it shows Ozma and Salem meeting again, their attempt at a family and kingdom. Eventually, as they started to show each other how much they had changed, Ozma tried to sneak his daughters away in cover of night. But a furious Salem finds them, and the once-lovers have a battle that destroys everything, including their daughters. Noriko is driven to tears at the sight. Generations later, Ozma had found the Relic of Knowledge. His first question was the location of the other relics. The 2nd was their function. The 3rd, “How do I destroy Salem?” Jinn simply said, “You can’t” With that, the story ends. Everyone is back in the present. Sojiro sees all the looks of horror, and Ozpin’s own broken expression. Jaune is stuck between grief, sympathy, and anger. Sojiro remembers how he always had to be careful what you wish for, noting everyone around got more than they wanted. In the Land of Darkness, Salem blasts the ground with magic, making a new crater, muttering about bad memories. Tyrian Callows calls out, saying he sensed her troubles and was concerned, asking if she’s alright. After he rambles that there’s no reason to be sad when they can still bring her victory, Salem coldly says she didn’t give permission for him to show concern. Claiming she doesn’t need sympathy, Salem orders him to leave and not disturb her until Cardinal Higeki brings news of the Relic of Knowledge. Pushing down his resentment of the Cardinal, Tyrian bows and leaves. Salem sighs and curses her memories, the Gods, humanity, and Ozma. Finally, the three Bishops discuss their next move. One of them, Ubawa, is a blind man with pale white skin, a bald head, and black sunglasses stands to the side. Kinjo, a younger and more muscular blonde-haired blue-eyed man carrying a zanbato as big as himself, states that he sent the Black Knight back for treatment, knowing he would’ve died of exposure without their arrival. When Ubawa remains silent, Kinjo adds that they can’t contact Deacon Fuma or anyone of his squad. Momoku, a lanky man with a grin and peach-colored shoulder length hair, chuckles that they’re certainly dead. He suggests tracking down whoever killed them, remembering the last message that they’d located the Relic. Kinjo agrees that they need to pick up the slack with Cardinal Higeki’s order. Ubawa serenely tells them that they’re stressing far too much, and points his finger into the distance. He explains that he sensed a strange power different from Aura, musing that it must be the being within the Relic. Kinjo gives a jovial grin, joking about people being wrong about the blind being useless. When Ubawa claims that sight is a state of mind, Kinjo tells him to stop acting like a mystic, knowing full well he could gauge an enemy’s presence through the air around them. When the direction is clear, Momoku knocks aside Kinjo is his eagerness, laughing that he’ll say hi as he vanishes. Kinjo glares the appearing footprints in the snow, yelling for him to watch it. Ubawa muses at how eager Momoku is, calling him a death freak. Kinjo grumbles that he could’ve at least waited til they had a plan. Ubawa points out that he’ll be the one planning, since Kinjo rarely enters a fight with a strategy. Kinjo counters that he does, but he just doesn’t make things too complicated. He also sees no reason to be on edge about people who brought down someone as ‘replacable’ as a Deacon and his Acolytes. Kinjo states that their enemies are dead men walking with Momoku on the hunt. Appearing Characters Abilities Watcher's Powers * Vanishing Walk Art * Reinforcement Semblances * Petal Burst Items * Relic of Knowledge * Bumblebee Weapons * Urchin Armor * Crescent Rose Techniques * Blazing Holy Meteor of Doom * Freezing Transmutation ** Death Wall * Quickstep * Starlight Breaker * Sweeping Tornado Previous/Next Chapters Previous Chapter: Chapter 2 (War of Discoveries): Argus Limited Next Chapter: Chapter 4 (War of Discoveries): Despair Category:War of Discoveries Series (Prologue) Arc, Category:Chapters Category:War of Discoveries Series Category:War of Discoveries Series (Prologue) Arc